Game On

Chapter Seven: "Racial Traits"

Exiting the mine, Sean let the thought of players dying from just not being the right race sink in. The thought was frightening. Why would someone design a game with that feature? Mark grabbed his arm to stop him, causing him to snap out of his thoughts to follow his eyes. The gate didn't open to let them out. Instead, what looked like the stump of a tree with a bird bath was glowing with golden veins in the shadows by the gate. It was hidden enough that they hadn't noticed it when going in. Mark squeezed his arm, telling him seriously. "I'll check it out." Sean shot Mark an unsatisfied look but let him go. He was too rattled to fight with him. Mark approached the basin and Sean flinched as a little screen appeared before Mark. Mark read what it said, then told Sean calmly. "It's an exit from this mine. I'm gonna try it." Sean approached, telling him to be careful. Mark put his hand over the bowl, then winced as a tree root like spike shot up from the center to impale his hand. Sean jerked back, clutching his own hand as he watched the bowl fill with Mark's blood. Mark flexed his fingers while his palm was impaled, telling Sean gruffly. "It doesn't hurt that bad. Just tingles."

The blood in the wooden bowl glowed a bright pink and with a flash of light, Mark vanished from one side of the gate to reappear on the other side. Once he was on the other side, the spike retracted from his hand and the basin emptied as it absorbed the blood. Standing close to the bars of the fence, Mark told him comfortingly. "It's ok, Sean." Sean shook his head, stammering out to him. "Mark... I can't..." Grabbing the bars, Mark told him sweetly. "Sean, listen to me. It doesn't hurt. It just surprised me. You can do it." Sean shook his head. His fear of being stabbed bubbling to the surface. Reaching through the bars, Mark told him in a warm voice. "Sean... Jack?" Sean stiffened, his eyes darting up to lock with Mark's. Mark hadn't called him that in years. Despite being called Jack for most of his life, whenever Mark said it, it felt personal. Sean had regretted telling Mark to use his real name to please his old girlfriend. He felt like it had robbed him of the close connection they shared once. The first wound to be inflicted before the fall of Septiplier.

The nickname got his full attention and Mark took advantage of it to tell him confidently. "You can do it. I'm right here. I won't let anything happen to you." Sean raised a shaky hand to reach for Mark's hand. Mark's fingers curled around his, giving them a little squeeze, before he told him in a powerful deep voice. "If I can do it. You can do it. I believe in you, Jack." Nodding shakily, Sean released Mark's fingers and approached the basin. The little screen popped up and he read to himself. 'This is an Yggdrasil Blood Alter Basin. To exit the mini boss room, pay blood to return to the safety of town and save your data within the roots of Yggdrasil.' Taking a deep breath, he put his hand over the bowl. Finding out in seconds that Mark had lied. The root spike impaled his hand, bringing Sean to his knees as pain flared up through his arm. Why did the pain feel so real? Letting out a sharp distressed cry, he heard Mark tell him seriously. "Stay still, Sean. It's almost done." Sean gasped for air as the pink light blurred his vision and he was suddenly beside Mark.

The root spike then retracted from his hand, allowing Sean to cradle his hand against his chest. Mark dropped down to his knees in front of him, putting his hands on his shoulders as he said in relief. "Good job. I knew you could do it." Glaring up at Mark, Sean sneered out angrily. "You lied. That HURT!" Mark blushed a little, mumbling out. "I know. But I knew you wouldn't do it if you knew that." Helping him up onto his feet, Mark told him in a sweeter voice. "I'm sorry. I didn't want you stuck in there." Sean nodded, not willing to say anything else until he calmed down. Draping an arm over his shoulder, Mark playfully told him with a hopeful smile. "I'll massage your hand when we get healed up. Alright?" Sean shoved Mark a bit but smiled to himself. He recalled that Mark was pretty good at it, and it was a good excuse to keep Mark's hands on him a bit longer. Mark's arm moved off his shoulders, causing Sean's heart to ache from the loss of contact. He was too emotionally fragile right now.